Periconceptional exposure to topical 5-fluorouracil

Possible interactions of genetic and immuno-neuro-endocrine regulatory mechanisms in pathogenesis of congenital anomalies

The process of organogenesis depends on genetic and environmental factors. Besides genetic background, congenital anomalies can also be influenced by micro environmental changes, which are related to maternal-foetal interactions followed by the production of cytokines, hormones, neurotransmitters, growth factors and biochemical mediators, and stress proteins. Pre-natal maternal stress, including infections, psychological stress and other teratogens, can influence a disregulation of maternal immune, endocrine and nervous systems, during pregnancy. This is a crucial condition for the abnormal growth and development of the foetus. Activated maternal immune system can alter the cytokine network and make it inadequate for normal embryogenesis and organogenesis. Heat-shock proteins play an important role in stress physiology repairing DNA errors or activating pro-inflammatory response. Regarded from this aspect, the altered cytokine network suggests aetiopathogenetic basis of congenital anomalies in neonates. It is our wish to point out our potentially harmful conditions in the development of congenital anomalies, as well as their control by using pre-natal and pre-conceptional diagnostics and treatment.

Chromosome abnormalities in human beings

Constitutional chromosomal abnormalities are an important cause of miscarriage, infertility, congenital anomalies and mental retardation in humans. Most human constitutional chromosomal imbalance results from aneuploidy, a condition that appears to be much more frequent in humans than in any other species studied. Chromosomal rearrangements and segmental deletions and duplications also occur in humans, but much less often. Although treatment of human somatic cells with some environmental agents produces chromosomal damage, no measurable increase in the frequency of constitutional chromosomal abnormalities has been unequivocally demonstrated among the children of parents exposed to any agent. Recent work has provided insight into a variety of mechanisms by which chromosomal abnormalities can arise during gametogenesis and early embryogenesis. Mechanisms have also been recognized that can correct or partially compensate for chromosomal imbalance, sometimes permitting survival of conceptuses that would otherwise be lost early in gestation. This improved understanding can be used to refine future studies of the cytogenetic effects of environmental exposures.